Suckerpunch
by AeroCharm
Summary: I'm Sakura Haruno and I possess super powers which has a tendency to super suck. Juggling school-related problems and saving the world from the brink of destruction is all in a day's work for me. SasuSaku. Sakuracentric. AU.
1. Super Girl 1

**Standard Disclaimer applied.**

* * *

><p>Sometimes I wonder what could've happened if I just left well enough alone. I mean, my life would probably be way more normal and easier. But I couldn't stop myself even if I wanted to. It's like my body goes on auto-pilot and saves the day or something. Now look at what I've gotten into:<p>

"SAV-MART ROBBERY FOILED BY FALLING LAMP POST"

Really. The lamp post I was leaning on at the time just so happens to tip and fall on those two thieves when they exited the grocery shop. It has no relation to me whatsoever. Seriously. What normal person has the power to make a nineteen foot tall electric lamp post fall on command? Fictional superheroes with ungodly superpowers that's self-appointed to protect the city, that's who. Not a measly five foot two junior high school student. It's just a big fat coincidence. Superheroes, pft. They're as real as unicorns.

I throw the newspaper in the trash and pick up the book I was formerly reading. It's no _Pride & Prejudice_ or _Wuthering Heights_ because, frankly, all those books make me writhe in righteous indignation. The book I'm reading is a self-help book that I happened to stumble on in the library—_101 Ways to Snag the Man of Your Dreams_. It's pathetic, I know. But, hey, what have I got to lose, right? To be honest, I kind of feel silly referring to a book to solve my romantic life or lack of it.

As I was beginning to read _Tip No. Eighty Nine_, I hear a familiar heartbeat and the clicketty-clacketty-clack of her stilettos coming in. She tries to sneak up behind the couch I was sitting on. Usually, I give her a chance to let her creep up on me just to be polite. But I'm not feeling so generous at the moment. So as my best friend, Ino Yamanaka, tries to slink behind me, I turn around and give her a look. Looking sheepish and frustrated at the same time, she stamps her stilettoed foot.

"Aww, darn! How did you know I was coming from behind?" Ino shoots me an aggravated look, walks around the couch and stops right in front of me.

I don't tell her that I already knew she was coming when she was still at the foyer of the dorm. Instead, I point to her shoes. She looked down to her feet and her mouth forms an 'O' of acknowledgement. Not entirely a lie. Just a half-truth.

Ino shrugs off in a manner that says 'Oh well.' "What are you reading?" She plucks the book off my hands and reads the title. "Really, Sakura? Another self-help book?" She made a very unladylike noise when she opened it to the first page. "You know, these kinds of books aren't really reliable. It's probably written by one of those obnoxious psychologists who think they know everything 'cause the know what hormones makes us fall in lust or something." She adds while tossing the book on the coffee table and walks over to the vending machine to get some caffeine. I take the book and slip it in my sling bag. She then goes on about how I should just throw myself in the dating game more, just act natural, be me and stop being such a dork about it. This is where I tune myself out. I, instead, evaluate my best friend.

Ino Yamanaka, self-proclaimed Queen of the Press. She's an aspiring journalist—or was it reporter? Anyway, she's editor-in-chief of the school paper and an intern at the local news station. Platinum blond hair, ocean blue eyes, an imposing personality, a passion for hardcore news and an aura that exudes that confident look-at-me-listen-to-me vibe. You can see why she was immediately accepted on the internship. It also kind of makes me wonder how in the world we became the best of friends. It's probably because I'm immune to her perfection charms that regular people see. For instance, she's always poised and calm when it's all business-y but when we're like hanging out she's a total dork and a major drama queen.

"Sakura, are you listening to me?" Ino waves a hand in front of my face.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" I shake my head to clear it of my internal reverie.

"God, you are impossible." She groans. "I said, let's get going."

I picked up my sling bag and hurried after Ino outside the Entertainment Room—a.k.a. E Room or E.R. We piled on her car and exited the academy.

Ino and I are juniors at Konoha Private Academy, better known as KPA. It's a boarding school where the parents dump their children because they need a vacation from parenting. Sarcastically speaking. Well… not really. It doesn't bother me. I'm an orphan since I was eight and my legal guardian wanted to lock up the pink-haired freak at that asylum disguised as a school.

Ahem.

Again. It doesn't bother me much.

But, hey, there could be worse things that could happen, right?

KPA's campus is divided into three. West are the dormitories; east is the recreational arena—that is where the E Room is located. That's where the games, TV's and other entertainment stuff are.—north is the academic-related and south are the gates and the parking lot.

I look over at Ino behind the wheel. Ino's a student here in KPA because her parents are at war. Literally. They're deciding over a divorce, so, she got sent here on account of her parents not wanting her to witness their frequent fights.

Here on KPA where "students are exercised to pursue their inner growth and promote their welfare," the juniors and seniors are allowed to leave campus grounds on Friday afternoons and weekends. It's a Friday afternoon, school hours just ended and we're headed to God knows where. I turn on the radio and Britney Spears fills the car.

You'll probably want to know a description of me, don't cha?

Well, I'm not giving you those "she had piercing blue eyes and a heaving milk white bosom blah blah blah" or "she hated her frizzy hair and fat ankles blah blah blah." First of all, it's boring. Second, it's irritating how in books it seems like the only two choices are perfection or self-hatred. As if readers will only like a character that's ideal—or completely shattered.

Please. Give me a break.

So, I hereby give you Sakura Haruno's Five Ideal Qualities and Five Which I Justifiably Hate.

1. Pink hair and green eyes / Flat chested. Well, not really. Just a paltry cup A.

2. Good muscle tone / Lack of normal teenage height

3. Reasonably unhairy body / Inability to attract the opposite sex in _that_ way

4. Witty, charming / Propensity to babble in nervous-making situations

5. Possess superpowers / Tendency to supersuck

**oOo**

We enter Grounded, a street café, two blocks from the academy. I head straight to the counter to order while Ino finds us a seat.

Mmm. Barista Boy looks fine.

"Good afternoon. What'll it be?" He asks.

I look at the menu just above his head. Just to stall for a minute. Then I order. I remember Tip _No. Thirty Two_ from _101 Ways to Snag the Man of Your Dreams_: "Dazzle him with your pearly whites." So, I flash him a huge smile. I also remember _Tip No. Forty Three_ "Silence is golden but not after four seconds. Interrupt it by offering him something. Ex: 'Would you like some nuts?'"

One. He types in my order.

Two. He calls to the back with my order.

Three. Say something, Sakura!

Four. I grab the first thing I land my hands on which are, sadly, a box of ground coffee beans.

"Would you like some?" I offer. He looks at me weirdly. Alright, awkward moment. Barista Boy chuckles nervously. "I-I mean," I stutter. "Would you like some coffee sometime?" Oh, God. Where's a trap door when you need one? I hastily set down the box like it was toxic sludge.

"I still have to work." He said and turns red.

"After your shift then?" Lay off, Sakura. I hear his heartbeat quicken.

"I, uh, have other plans." He scratches the back of his head. His heartbeat picks up more which goes to show that what he just said was obviously a lie. Smooth, Sak, real smooth.

"I get it." I nod dismissively. First time I put the book into use and I end up feeling like the biggest embarrassment to humankind. Somebody please shoot me now. In order to salvage my dignity, I hand him my payment silently. No more, no less. No tips for you, Barista Boy! God, I am such a mean person. He hands me my change and gives me an apologetic smile. As if I need your smile of apology. Take your Apology Smile and shove it! Gah.

I grudgingly go to sit with Ino.

"What's up with you?" She cocks her head to the side questioningly as I plomp down to the seat across her.

"Nothing." I shrug. My expression must've showed my perpetual disdain at Barista Boy since she dropped the subject like a hot potato.

"Right." She gives me a skeptical look. "Whatever." She rolls her eyes and focuses on her Blackberry.

I follow suit. I flip open my phone. It's a Nokia N97mini. Amazeballs. The last phone I had, a pink C5 of the same brand, fell at the bottom of Naruto Uzumaki's house pool. I had to save the money I earned from every part-time job I came across to buy a new one of my choice. Well, Ino's probably getting endless messages from her extracurricular friends or something. Though I have no idea how she manages to handle it since she basically keeps partying and stuff. I, on the other hand, have to play Diner Dash so I'd look like I'm busy and all important.

Minutes later, our orders arrived. Black coffee—with lots of sugar—and butterscotch cookie for me and mochaccino and blueberry muffin for Ino. Ino's theory for her Winter Ball diet is that if she drinks her energy smoothie for breakfast and eats salad for lunch then she could reward herself with dessert as a snack. If you ask me, it's a load of poop.

"Naruto and Sasuke are coming over." Ino murmurs casually without looking away from her Blackberry.

I, however, did not let the news pass by so casually. I take a full swig of my caffeine which is scalding hot. It almost made me spit it out. But I didn't. Yay! It's nice to know that there's at least one part in my life that I could control without making myself come out as such an inept young female.

"Wh-What?" I stutter for the second time in a day. Just so you know I'm not really a stutterfly. Until today, apparently. "Why?" I add. But before Ino could answer, I hear the familiar chatter of two boys entering Grounded. I glare at Ino. "You are evil."

She winks at me mischievously and waves at Naruto.

In frantic despair, I nibble on my cookie and listen at the conversation the boys were having.

I mean, eavesdrop.

"I swear, Teme, you shoulda seen the look in his face!"

A deep rumble from Naruto's companion which I think is Sasuke's way of laughing. Hm. Sasuke and 'laughing' do not go in the same sentence.

"Man, hurry up and order. I'll join Sakura-chan and Ino-chan over there."

Naruto bounds his way to us and leaves Sasuke behind.

"Ladies." Naruto greets with his pimp voice and sits beside me. I smile at him, still nibbling at my butterscotch cookie. Ino waves at him and sips on her beverage. And here begins the endless banter of Naruto Uzumaki—all around friendly face, constant party host and head of the Welcoming Committee—and Ino Yamanaka. Two blond and blue eyed people with the same amount of liberated thoughts and incessant talent for babbling, their arguments always contradict and at the same time coincide with each other.

There was one time when they argued about which would taste better ramen or noodles. Their argument lasted for a day which went round and round. Ino's stand was that noodles were quite healthy and that the soup could be substituted for caffeine —another one of Ino's theories that are even sillier than her Winter Ball diet. I also think that this is a load of poop. I mean, hello! Nothing can substitute for caffeine. Nothing.— while Naruto's was that ramen was awesome and could own noodles in any time of the day.

Anyway, when their idle chitchat starts this is where I begin tuning out. Instead, I listen to the sounds surrounding us but only I could hear like it's happening right behind me.

The ticking of a clock from an apartment across the street. The flush of a toilet. The lines from a movie—_You talking to me?_ The boiling of water. The whispers of two girls sharing secrets across the café.

One sound intrigued me though. It's a conversation. An interesting one at that. A man and a woman.

"Tell me where it is." He says.

"I will never tell you." She says.

Slap. "Stubborn little thing, yeah."

"We could do this all day, you know."

"We certainly can. Tell. Me. Where. It. Is." Every pause constituted a slap.

Silence from the woman for a few seconds. I think, she spat. "Screw you."

"Tell me where the damned emblem is—" A heavy irritated sigh.

A sound of a door opening. Two pairs of footsteps. One heavy, one staggering. A gasp of air. "Mommy!" A sob. I think it's a kid!

"Tell me where the emblem is or your little boy gets it, yeah."

I stood up abruptly, butterscotch cookie still in my hand. I didn't notice Sasuke just approached. I guess he just finished ordering. His blank gaze connected with my startled one.

"Hey, Sakura. You OK?" Ino tugged my pinkie finger.

Oh great. This was my chance to put the _101 Ways_ I learned to snag Sasuke—man that spends a lot of time in my head—and here comes duty calls. Fantastic.

Sometimes having superpowers super sucked.

"I'll be right back." I croaked. "I just need to use the restroom." Not a lie. I am going to use the CR, I need to pee then I'm gonna slip out.

"I'll come with you." Ino proceeded to stand up.

"No!" I cried and pushed Ino back to her seat. Way to go, Sak. You're on your way to becoming the greatest loser that ever lived. "I mean," I said, regaining composure. "No. I need the restroom to myself for awhile. Just in case it'd get messy."

Did I just say 'just in case it'd get messy' in front of Sasuke Uchiha? Oh. My. God. I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

Ino is giving me the crazy eye. Naruto's turning red and Sasuke's still looking blank but with a hint of mock amusement. I am seriously thinking about digging a hole in the café floor and burying myself right then and there. I laugh breezily, you know, for Sasuke, but it sounded more like a donkey's whinny.

"Did you just… whinny, Saku-chan?" Naruto pointed.

Instead of answering him, I just dashed to the ladies room.

**oOo**

After successfully locating where the conversation came from and rushing there—which is in the downtown historical museum, I have perched myself at the rooftop. I can perfectly see what's happening below through the skylight. Judging from what I'm seeing—and hearing, there's an estimate of 12 hostages and 20 bad guys. There could be more. I already placed an anonymous tip for Konoha's Finest. They should be here any minute.

From my previous attempt at foiling a robbery—that resulted being in the front page of every national newspaper, I plan to lay low. I promise myself that I won't interfere. I'll just keep an eye on things. I promise. I promise. I promise.

Alright, fine!

I promise I won't interfere _until things get out of hand_.

I tied my hair in a loose bun and wore a beanie because I might be identified by my pink hair in the newspapers. They'll probably give me a superhero name or something. The last thing I need is being christened Pink Blur or Pink Rage or some other mortifying title.

"Let him go." It's the lady I heard from before. God, her face is bruised and battered. That's gonna leave a mark that can't be concealed by Clinique. I shudder and pull my windbreaker closer. She's tied to a chair—or should I say a throne fit for a king.

"Not until you tell us where the emblem is, yeah." The man who hit her said.

The lady doesn't speak. She just closes her eyes and her jaw hardens.

What the hell is an emblem anyway?

Red and blue lights flash on the starry sky. Oh, Konoha's Finest has just arrived. They could handle this.

A thug barged in the hall where the man, the woman and the other hostages are held and cursed. "It's the cops!"

The man's lips curled into an expression of animosity.

"Intruders inside the building! Let go of your hostages and surrender quietly." A cop announced through the megaphone in front of the museum. It's like the scene from _Angels & Demons_ outside the Vatican minus the religion. There're probably several squad cars on standby out there and fourteen police officers—judging from their pulses.

Man, its cold out here for early October.

I zip my windbreaker up all the way. Thank God, I wore jeans too.

In a minute, they'll probably call in the SWAT team. Eugh. I never liked those boys. They think they own the place and they bark orders to the cops when the KPD so obviously got there first! I mean, I may not be an expert with how the authority tree works but I do know that the cops 'round here are good people. They gave me doughnuts once when the school entrusted me to pick up Kiba Inuzuka from the precinct, his charges—indecent exposure. So, yeah, I'll stick with the guys from Konoha Police Department, thank you very much. They're my boys, my homeys. We're on the down low or whatever.

Well, I better get out of here before I get caught snooping around.

That wasn't so bad. I didn't take the matter to my own hands. That's the job of the authorities. That's why there're brave men and women like them to protect the city. They can handle it, I'm sure. They certainly don't need a pink-haired teenager that can't scrounge up the courage to reacquaint herself to the one that she lusts after to save the city.

I walk to the edge of the rooftop, preparing myself to jump and feeling good about fulfilling my promise to myself.

It's time for me to—

"Activate the bombs. We'll blow this place up." The man says.

—save Konoha.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Like I said on my newly published story, _Ma Cherie_ (Goreaditlikenow. Shameless plug, heh.), there will be a sudden surge of stories in the next few days. The stories stored on my hard drive—the ones that have never seen the light of day—shall come to life and, of course, will be hungry for reviews.

I got my inspiration for this story from a book, _Prom Nights From Hell_, and _Hancock._ I just love SUPERS.

Don't forget to review now. Suggestions, criticisms, and what-not shall be taken into consideration. Don't worry, I won't bite. :)


	2. Super Girl 2

**Standard Disclaimer applied.**

* * *

><p>I discovered that what was happening to my body—super hearing, inhuman strength, unearthly speed, etc—was not a result of puberty. Oh, no. This is much scarier than that. But at that time, I was pretty much clueless. Who could blame anyone? I was only nine at that time. I most certainly did not expect possessing absurd physical strength as much as I expected gaining extra arms.<p>

I was in fourth grade when our Sex Ed class was teaching us about the vagaries of adolescence. It was then and there that I thought that I already figured out why I could rip my locker door open. But when I asked my teacher how to control my immense massive strength all she said was "Don't be silly, Sakura." So, I showed her that I could punch the cement sidewalk and actually leave a huge dent—like a meteor would leave if ever it would hit the pavement of my school—on it.

Let's just say that I learned to control my 'extraordinary powers' the hard way.

And that our Sex Ed teacher's sanity is shaken and that she never looked at me the same way again.

From then on, I learned to keep my mouth shut about the excessive growth spurt that I don't share with everybody.

Until today, I keep wondering if it's because of my special abilities that I lacked in the development in the Boob and Height Department. Because, you know, I'm 16 and I'm still 5'2" and still a cup A. Le sigh.

Even though I do have super strength, I find it equally difficult to drag this three hundred-pound meat bag. Phew.

Fifteen down, five to go.

I lug the Big Man to a king sized coffin. "Sorry. Take two aspirins when you wake up to cure the impending headache." I whisper to him before I close the lid of the coffin. He stirs and his eyelids flutter and I have to punch him again. I hear my fist connecting to a nose cartilage. "Make that three." I add.

I sneak out of the Egyptian Wing and into the hall where the hostages are being held

"We have 20 minutes before the bomb detonates, Deidara." A thug informs the man that has been hitting the woman earlier.

The man named Deidara turns to the woman tied to a throne—that has been missing from the Medieval Wing, I checked.

"Look, you either tell us where the emblem is, yeah, or this place will blow up." He threatens.

"What's the point? I don't tell you and you'll kill me. I tell you and you'll still kill me." Woman's gotta point. Apparently, Deidara doesn't see that and he hits her. Hard. She spits out blood directly in his shoes. Touche.

I hear a surprised intake of breath. My head snaps to who it came from. One of the hostages is looking at me. I'm pressing myself against the far wall of the hall—obscuring the sight of me is the The Thinker and he's manly, manly figure—where the light is dimmest. I put a finger to my lips, instructing her to shut up. She slightly nods her head.

I quickly went to the crone by the entrance to the Paleozoic Wing. His back is right in front of me. Just one quick chop to the neck and it's Dreamland for you, buddy.

Just as I emerge from the shadows, poised to deliver the fatal blow that could knock him unconscious, my phone rang.

My flippin' phone rang.

_I'm beautiful in my way_

_ 'Cos God makes no mistakes_

_ I'm on the right track, baby_

_ I was born this way_

I froze. My hand hovering in the air ready to karate chop the hell out the guy but interrupted by the infamous Lady Gaga. Just my luck.

The guy turns around, grabs me by the neck and lifts me off the ground. I give him an uppercut; he lets go, stumbles backward and rubs his jaw. Before he could recover, I kick him in the gut and punch him some more. He falls unconscious and I whisper to him what I whispered to the Big Man earlier.

I answer my phone.

"Where the hell are you?" Ino says by way of greeting.

"I, uh," My phone seemed to alarm the other bad guys and two more thugs come barging in. One was bald—his head was shiny and reflective and everything. The moonlight practically bounced off his head—and the other was shockingly blond that it was almost white under the moonlight.

"You're not in the ladies room, are you?" I could almost picture Ino sneering at the phone.

The two of them make their way to me. Oh God. I grab the nearest weapon I could find—a dinosaur bone.

"Um, my period… I, uh, forgot to bring, ah," I stammer. "I went to the nearest store to buy tampons!" I say this as I smash the bald guy on his shiny head with the dinosaur bone and kick Blondie in the chest—successfully knocking the breath out of him.

"You could've asked me, you know, I have an extra." Ino sighed heavily. "Listen," she adds. But I never got to. Listen, I mean. Blondie kicked the phone out of my hand. I huff indignantly.

"That's it! I slaved away for that phone!" I growled. I charge at him, abruptly dropping down, sliding underneath him and temporarily severing his spine. I quickly whisper to them the usual mantra, pick up my phone and thrust my hips outward into what passed for a victory dance. I stopped for a few seconds until I felt silly. Alright, let's not do that again. And then something dawned on me.

Oh. My. God.

The bomb.

I look at my watch. Fifteen minutes before the fireworks.

I reenter the hall where the hostages are held. Two bad guys left. The mastermind and the apprentice. The apprentice is armed. Better get rid of that. The guy won't even feel pain. It'll be quick and painless. I'll just knock him out cold and get rid of the bullet cartridge. He won't even know what hit him. And that's exactly what I did. I don't tell him about the aspirin because he was carrying an extremely dangerous toy that could permanently put someone out of commission. He definitely deserves an unbearable migraine.

I run to the mastermind,—who so far didn't notice his missing protégé—Deidara, who's standing in front of the hostages. He won't see me at all. Well, maybe just a blur. I taunt him for awhile by whipping past him.

"Who's there?" Deidara frantically looks for the haze that just blew past him. The smudge that was me. "Show yourself, you freak!"

I cut the taunting crap and pause at his back. I twist his arm behind him and place an arm across his chest while he cried and squirmed for help. The wuss. I really resent those kinds of guys that act like they're all macho or something then when real physical pain hits them they recoil like they accidentally touched scorching hot water. Wussies. I mean, they could just like be themselves, you know. Tch. I wish I could take my own advice into hand. Ugh.

If I be myself in front of Sasuke he'd be totally freaked out. I mean any guy who would find out about a girl that is much stronger than them physically could wound their ego and lower their self-esteem. Really! Who would want to help a girl who can knock out a bunch of muggers on the street carry her books? Who would want to help a girl who could jump up 30 feet in the air reach for something in the high shelf that she can't get a hold of? Who would want to fetch a girl who could dart out the room and circle the whole academy under a minute a drink? See what I mean? It's just not happening.

Alright, Sakura. Leave your lack of a love life in your dorm room and keep your mind at the task at hand.

"You're nineteen henchmen are locked up in a coffin, tied to various exhibition pieces, dangling in obnoxiously high places or just plain unconscious on the floor." I say in my most intimidating voice—at least I hope it's intimidating.

"Wh-what are you?" He asks. Ha! Not so tough now, are you, blondie? Not so tough now that you saw the real definition of what 'man power' is like?

Hm, sidethought: he looks incredibly familiar with long blond hair and everything. I feel like I've met him before but I just can't put a finger to it yet.

"Your worst nightmare." I snarl in his ear. Hey, where did that come from? I didn't know I had a side like that. Tacky retort by the way, Sakura. "Where's the bomb? And don't lie. I'll know when you'll lie."

I see his Adam's apple bob rapidly before he answered, "It's at that suit case." His free hand points at a silver briefcase lay atop a glass table a few feet away. It looks exactly where a bomb should be hidden.

"You better not be trying something funny." I growl.

He nods vigorously. Before I walk toward it, I slip my hand inside his coat to remove the gun inside the coat's secret pocket and tuck it behind me and we both ambled to it, with him still in front of me. "Pick it up." I order. He picked it up. I prominently hear the tick-tock of the timer of the bomb. "Do you know how to disarm it?" I ask. I hear his heartbeat quicken its pace than the normal rate of a scared person.

Ten minutes left.

"Say the wrong answer and I'll show you how capable I can ripping your arm out." I warned.

I don't know why he believed my bluff—because I am so evidently squeamish at the sight (or sound) of blood and breaking bones—it must be something in the tone of my voice. "No. It can't be disarmed, yeah." His heart returns to the normal tempo of an average freaked out person.

"Alright. If you try to escape once I let go of you, I will immobilize your ability to participate in reproducing the human race. Do you understand me?" I threaten. Before he could recover from the traumatizing image that flooded his brain, I let go of him and yell at my loudest voice, "Everyone! Out of the building now!" I slash the ropes that bound the woman that Deidara hit earlier. "Lady, your son's outside with the police waiting for you. He's fine."

"Oh my God. Thank you." She said with overwhelming relief that she hugged me the moment her hands came free.

"It's alright."

The hostages flood to the front entrance. I look for a certain blond head in the crowd but he wasn't there. From a distance, I could hear an exit door leading to a side alley slamming shut. The little coward. I grab the suitcase and sprinted after him. Before he could join the evening crowd on the sidewalk, I drag him to the cat piss-smelling narrow alley between the museum and an old brick building. The alley was strewn with garbage bags, the walls tagged with graffiti and marked with stains that are unidentifiable under the moonlight. Small miracles. "It's time for me to demonstrate about what I bragged before." I glare at him.

Deidara cursed colorfully. "Don't do it." He pleads. "Please. Don't do it, yeah. I have to find the emblem."

I ignore his pleas. Instead, I ask another question that's been bugging me since I got involved with this whole ordeal. So much for not interfering. "What's an emblem?" I scale the walls till I reach the rooftop of the museum. I held a hand to Deidara.

"What? You crazy? I am not going with you, yeah."

"I will do what I said. I am not kidding." There must be something in my tone of my voice or an expression in my face that made him scamper to the nearest dumpster to reach my hand. I pull him up effortlessly.

Eight minutes left.

"What's an emblem?" I ask again.

"I don't know what you're talking about." His heartbeat sped up.

"You just mentioned it." I say. The next building to the museum—which is only two floors—is a ten floor building. "Stop lying and hang tight." I give him the suitcase to hold, grab the back of his coat and toss him upwards. He screams like a girl.

And then I remember why he looks so familiar—he kinda looks like Ino.

I leap up after him. Before he could fall and grab for handholds, I was beside him, grabbing his arm and pulling him along with me to the ten storey building. "Shut up!" I demand.

I land on the rooftop in a crouched position. Deidara plopped beside me, frozen in fear and laying flat on his back with the suitcase clutched tightly to his chest. Guy's really shaken. Just like my Sex Ed teacher.

"Let us not do that again, yeah?" He said as he struggles to get up on shaky knees. I sorta pity him. I guess it's the resemblance with Ino that a part of me tolerates him. A feeling he definitely does not deserve after what he did to that woman and her son.

"We haven't got much time. Keep your hands on that bomb."

And then I sprang upwards—Deidara's wrist still in my grasp and he, still screaming—towards the 20 storey building across the street. The moment we landed on its crown, we were running from roof to roof. Well, I ran to the full extent of my speed—which has a slight difference from a Ferrari—and him hovering beside me, barely able to contain his shrieks. You'd think a highly trained criminal could stand a few feet from the ground but no, he screams as soon as his feet leaves the floor. Once again, wuss. Beneath us are the unsuspecting citizens of Konoha and the enticing city lights.

We finally reached the top of the bridge's rafters connecting Konoha and Suna.

Below us is the Kosaku Channel.

Dangling above it is a screeching Deidara.

"What is an emblem?" I demanded. "Why are you asking that woman where it is?" Deidara is upside down, his right leg in my hand—the only thing that's keeping him from plunging into the depths of the deadly sea.

"Jesus! What are you? Ohmigod! Put me down!" He's struggling. Startled. His heartbeat is pounding rapidly in my ears.

"Answer me!" I shake him a little. His wallet, eyeglasses and some coins fell to the sea.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" He yells over his shrieks. "Please! Put me down, yeah." He begs. I pull him up. He sinks down to his knees.

Two minutes left.

"You have two minutes before I toss you into the ocean with the bomb."

He stumbles over his words while he tries to hastily explain the answer to my question. All I heard were garbled sentences.

One minute left.

"Not good enough." I take the suitcase in my hand and I clutch Deidara's back. First, I flung the briefcase far away in the middle of the ocean—an action that would've done a baseball pitcher proud. Far enough that the neighboring cities won't even notice the underwater explosion. Thank God for those Frisbee competitions.

BOOM! It created a small splash.

I let go of Deidara and he staggers back to his feet. "Now that that's taken care of." I look at Deidara. I empower my look with a message: Hold-your-word-or-I-will-bite-your-ear-off. Oh, how I long for the phrase 'If looks could kill.' He looks like he just peed in his pants. His chest is heaving. I gave him quite a scare, didn't I?

"What's an emblem?" I ask. "Tell me properly, please." I ask for the third and hopefully last time. I'm surprised. I'm a girl that has a dynamite temper yet I still haven't lost my patience for him.

"I-it's an insignia." He began. "An insignia that we have to collect. There are 12 of them, yeah, scattered and protected all over Konoha. They're called the Emblem Order, yeah. So far we've collected 9." He takes a deep breath.

"What do you want with them?" I ask.

"Once we have all the emblems, he, our boss, inserts them in this puzzle box of his, yeah, where the shapes of the emblems fit." He creates a shape of a gift box with his hand. "Legend has it that it'll lead to the Promised Land, you know, the Garden of Eden, yeah. O-or it could unleash all kinds of chaos. Like Pandora's Box. We really don't know. But the boss is determined to find out." He pauses. He seems to be waiting for a reaction.

"So, that woman—whom you were hitting—has an emblem?" I randomly ask.

"Yeah. She's a Shield." He replies as if he were stating a fact.

"A what?"

"She's a Shield." He repeated. "An Emblem's Shield, yeah. Like a protector, a keeper. She can't do anything to jeopardize the safety of the emblem, no matter what. She's the tenth. We can't get to the eleventh and twelfth unless the tenth Emblem's Shield disappears, yeah."

"Disappear? You mean like wipe her out of the face of the Earth? Like kill her?" I choke out.

He nods. Like it was the simplest question ever asked.

This is disgusting. These men have no morals at all. They'd do anything just to get what they want. The woman earlier has a son—another living being that she was responsible for—and they didn't care at all. They even used him to their advantage to pressure the woman to tell them where a freaking badge is. And she can't save her own son because she was bound to that thing she's sworn to protect with her life.

I grab the collar of Deidara's coat and readied myself to drop him to the profundity of the deep blue where he belongs.

"W-wait! What are you doing?" He panics, tries to wrench himself away from my iron grip and failing. Miserably.

"You guys are cruel!" I shriek.

And away he goes.

I called in an anonymous tip to the lifeguards that there's a man possibly drowning in Kosaku Channel under the Himiko Bridge. It's just because so I won't be saddled with guilt for the rest of my life that I threw my best friend's look-a-like to sea and left him there for the fishies to eat.

That'd just cramp my style.

I rush back to the café. Oh, God. What am I gonna say? I've left the café with the excuse that I am using the ladies room and ran to the nearest department store to buy a personal necessity when in reality I was saving Konoha Historical Musuem from a bunch of stark raving badge hunters that wants to open a portal to the realm of Eden or Darkness or whatever ludicrous void there is.

I dug my heels on the sidewalk before I turn and reach the corner to Grounded. I thought I heard my name being mentioned. Are they talking about me?

"—is Saku-chan?" That is undeniably Naruto's voice.

"She had an errand to run." Ino says calmly.

"Yeah, but I didn't see her use the front entrance."

"She used the—"

"And didn't she say she was going to the restrooms?"

"Well, no duh—"

Then I walk in. My entrance perfectly timed. I helped Ino to stop covering for me and temporarily cleared up Naruto's curiosity and suspicions. I find them right where I left them. Thank God, Sasuke's not with them. But, where is he?

"Saku-chan!" Naruto spots me heading towards them, smiles broadly and waves enthusiastically. As soon as I reached the table, Ino drags me to the comfort room.

"Saku-chan, Teme was so worried about you!" I hear Naruto utter as my shell is lugged to the torture chamber. I mean, the ladies room—in which where I should've been honestly using if I was a normal human being in the first place. Now, I'm about to experience Ino Yamanaka's insufferable wrath.

"Speak." Ino commanded. She has a commanding personality like that.

"I bought tampons." I say sheepishly and raise the plastic containing the tampon box I bought on the way to the café. Well, at least that's the story I'm sticking with.

"You were out for an hour, Forehead!" She crosses her arms on her chest. "Don't tell me this is your way of avoiding Sasuke."

Oh, thank God that's what she suspects. "Is that what you think?" I accidentally let it slip out with a hint of relief.

"Why? What am I supposed to think?" She cocked her head to the side questioningly. An action that make her seem like a bird.

"Nothing." I give her a—in which I hope—reassuring smile.

"You really have to face him, Sakura!" She pulls out her lip gloss and applies it to her lips then mines. After she finishes applying, she looks smug. Cocky even. "Don't be such a wuss." Oh, great. Now my best friend calls me what I internally called the sick scoundrel I tossed in the ocean earlier. "You smell like…"

"What?" I panic. "I smell like what?" I smell my windpreaker then my hair then my armpits. I can't go out to Sasuke smelling like a freakin' cat piss infested alley.

"You smell like… I don't know. The ocean or something. I can't quite put my finger at it." She looks a bit distracted then she rights herself again. "Anyway, about Sasuke—"

"He has Karin, Piggy." I point out and fought the urge to roll my eyes. Before Ino could say anything else I exit the comfort room and head back to our table. I see Sasuke alone at the table and I immediately turn back to the comfort room—the cold tiled walls seemed soothing right now—only to bump into Ino again who pushes me towards the broody tool.

I take a deep breath and,

I trot over to Sasuke.

I hear Naruto arguing with Barista Boy since he's ordering something that isn't in the menu—ramen, maybe—and Ino marched over to her blonde duplicate. To stall him so I could be alone with Sasuke for awhile with no distractions most likely.

I listen to Sasuke's heartbeat. Slow and relaxed. Like it's saying that 'I could take my time beating. No rush at all.' It's even comforting and calming. Unlike mines—that seems to be in danger of hammering its way out of my ribcage and into the marble floor of the café. Very good for my Zen. That's my favorite beat in the world.

I take my seat across him. And he takes a glances at me.

His heartbeat misses a beat. What? What does that mean? I never heard anyone's heartbeat skip a beat when they catch a glimpse of me. Is he happy to see me? Or awkward to face me? Argh! Sasuke already messed up my concentration and he didn't even do ANYTHING. Unfair emo boy. Must remember to Google it later. Alright, worry about it later, Sakura. Now what? Oh God. Awkward silence!

"Hi." I greet.

"Hn." He replies.

_Tip No. Eighty Seven:_ "Pick up his heart with a classic pick-up line."

"Are you wearing space pants?" I blurt out.

"What?"

"Because your butt looks fine." Another foot-in-mouth moment. If I had a penny for every moment like this, I'd be incredibly rich.

He raises a brow at me. "I think it's supposed to go 'because your butt is out of this world'." Then he laughs. Well, not with his mouth and voice or anything. He laughed with his eyes. Those black pools—in which I imagine a swirling galaxy lays—held a hint of laughter, amusement and something else I couldn't quite explain. Then seconds later, he chuckled—a deep rumble that I heard earlier when he arrived with Naruto.

And I can't help but crack a smile and chuckle with him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay for updating quickly!

I'd just like to thank the following for being the first people to review my story: f-zelda, Ur worst nightmare 452, MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA, hgj, man-chan, and Narutofan3271. You guys are so awesome for taking the time to review. Same goes for those who Story Alerted, Favorite Story and Author Alerted. I really got motivated.

Now, I might upload another new story tomorrow or update this. I don't know, depends on the mood. Anyway, go review this story so I could fuel up my fingers for typing. Come on, do a poor me a favor and review this story. Don'tchu want to see it progress? Nevertheless, I love you, readers!


	3. Wonderful Teenager

**Standard Disclaimer applied.**

* * *

><p>The relationship I have with Sasuke—or the lack of it—contains quite a few twists and turns. Well, I'm sad to say it but we were just friends. Emphasis on 'were.' We used to be the closest friends, not like Ino and I, but we were on the same social circle and we often hung out. And of course, little old predictable me had an unrequited crush on that Apollo and was about to confess to him because, let's face it, I was stupid enough to think that he liked me too. But right before high school started, he went away to France with his family to do something God knows what.<p>

That's right.

He left without a single goodbye.

I only knew about his relocation when he changed his address on Facebook from Konoha, Japan to Paris, France. If I knew about it, I would have tried one of those cliché things you see in the movies where the main character would chase her beloved through the airport—knocking down certain obstacles and jumping over luggage—and profess her love to him in front of his flight gate and deliver one big sloppy kiss with all the other travelers 'awww'ing in delight. I seriously considered that thought. Seriously.

My reaction to his moving the whole time was:

"NO. YOU DON'T GET TO MOVE AWAY RIGHT AFTER I FINALLY MUSTERED UP THE COURAGE TO TELL YOU ALL THIS FEELINGS INSIDE OF ME. THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS."

I never tried contacting him since he might think that, I dunno, I'm annoying or clingy or attached or whatever. Not to mention the fact that I am perpetually furious at him for leaving me like that even if he had no responsibility to say goodbye to me. But, even so, he should've taken into consideration our friendship! So, what's a girl supposed to do? Continue to love someone that's 6,039 miles away from me?

The answer's NO, right?

Unfortunately for me, my answer was the opposite.

For someone that has super powers, I am pretty obtuse when it comes to love. Well, you shut up. Sandbox love never dies, alright?

Just as I started dating other guys (which in total would be 2) and was able to erase his extinction from my brain, the Sasuke Fucking Uchiha reappeared three years later with all his shining glory of crossing puberty. He is the exact product of adolescence gone right.

I would say the same goes for me if I could.

Sasuke enrolled on KPA—for reasons yet unknown—just this year and you could feel the fangirl squeals seeping out of my body the day Naruto told me that he was in his class. I have no idea why my angry streak towards him disappeared the moment I saw him during lunch across the cafeteria.

I thought that it was a sign given from the heavens above.

A sign for a second chance. A sign that our destiny would finally roll together. A sign where our fates were ultimately intertwined. A sign that our bond were once again tied to each other. A sign for me to have his babies.

Just kidding.

Well, maybe a little.

All was well when we ate at the same table that day. Except for one little tick.

Karin.

I swear this girl—I can't even… How should I put it? She's a bloodsucker. Once she's set her eyes on something, she will pursue it to the end. Kinda like a psychotic cartoon character. She dropped by our table and offered Sasuke a tour of the school campus. I was about to speak up since Sasuke's already got us to show him around but Naruto beat me to it. Karin looked a bit irritated but she didn't back down. She still told him to come to her if he needed anything. _Anything_.

At that moment, I knew that a competition between a pinkhead and a redhead was about to begin.

Challenge accepted.

But then all hell broke loose once I saw who was clinging on Sasuke's arm like a certified leech at the Acquaintance Ball. Karin, you redheaded idiot!, purposefully met my surprised stare with a look of triumph of her own. If I could just grab her ankles and throw her to the sky, that would've calmed me down a ton. I don't know how she did it or when she did it, but one thing's for sure.

I lost.

I should really stop opening old wounds. Ugh, this is what History class does to me. Kurenai-sensei has this really monotone voice that makes me wonder off into my own world. Before being caught daydreaming, I'll just take down notes for the sake of it. I still have to figure out how to find that Emblem woman and her kid.

I've been looking for her ever since that night I saved her. Two days has passed and I haven't heard a word about her. I even tailed Deidara but it's like he cut off all connections with his boss or something. I can't let them get to her first.

Wait.

What the hell am I thinking? It's not like I believe in what Deidara said. About the Pandora's Box… or was it puzzle box? I mean, does fate, magic, the unexplainable and things alike even exist in this day and age?

Wait, don't answer that. I mean, look, someone _like me_ exists in this day and age. So, what about other supernatural stuff? OH! Brainstorm idea! Maybe I could find the answer as to where I got my super powers from that super puzzle box thing. Yes, that is the reason why I am so dead-set in finding that mother and child. Yes, it's not because I believe that saving a civilian's life is my duty since I have this extraordinary powers. No, not at all. Alright, great! I now have a valid reason for getting involved in all this mess.

So, why do I feel like I'm reassuring myself?

**oOo**

Actually, maybe I do believe in fate.

Maybe fate brought me and Sasuke for cleaning duties for detention today. You never know about how accurate these things could be. You see, fate can be extremely tricky. If you play your cards right, you might just get the ending that you've always wanted. However, if you deal the wrong hand, everything could just go downhill. Look at my inner monologues, I'm using card game terms and I don't even know how to play card games. Ugh! Sasukeeeeeeee, why do you always get my panties in a twist!

Woah, so not very proper wording right there.

Anyway, this is all Karin-bitch's fault. I don't wanna sound bitter or anything but she just had to go and call me out.

It was, yeah, in Lit class. I was concocting up a plan on how to corner Deidara and lead me to their boss when I got called by Jiraiya-sensei. Our topic was about The Scarlet Letter. It's a really good book—thank God I read it and not watch the Demi Moore movie version of it like the rest of my classmates. Basically, it was about this really controversial chick that got pregnant with a minister's—a minister!—baby while her hubby was away. Then she was subject to humiliation and embroidered a—you guessed it—a scarlet letter A for adultery on the bodice of her clothes so that when she would parade through the whole village they would know about it. Jiraiya-sensei's question was actually pretty simple and easy to answer. "Do you think it's fair for Hester," That was the woman's name. "to undergo all that public shaming by sticking a red A on her chest?"

Jiraiya-sensei is my favorite Lit teacher of all time. Since my first year in high school, I got him as my Lit teach. And it has been like that ever since then. He would throw all sorts of jokes and innuendos inappropriate for class and you have no choice but to let it slide because he's just damn right funny. Even if he is nicknamed as the Pervy Sage, he is a well-known author across Japan for his, um, highly-detailed romance novels. I think romance novels are not the only thing he's writing. I have my suspicions that he also writes a variety of h-manga with a different pen name. I mean, I have heard him and Kakashi-sensei conversing. And the writing styles are not that quite different. Not that I've read them, of course.

So, anyway, I stood up to answer. "Personally, I think it's not fair at all."

Jiraiya-sensei gave me an encouraging smile since he probably sensed a debate brewing up. Yeah, Jiraiya-sensei and I have become quite buddy-buddy since I am practically the only one who actually reads the books he assigns to us and the fact that he has been forever chasing me to be a part of the school paper. That does not qualify as being as a teacher's pet, okay?

"Oh, really?" Jiraiya-sensei said in mock surprise. "Do pray tell."

I do not like being the center of attention as you all know. So, I tried to explain my point as quickly as possible. "Well, I think Hester has suffered enough blows to her self-esteem and dignity when she stood up at the stage in front of the public with her baby. So, I think embroidering a scarlet letter A to atone for her sins as she walked through the village is really uncalled for. I mean, I know adultery is like a capital sin way back then but enduring all that may be just enough to kill her. Besides, I think the private thoughts, the private guilt, torture and emotional destruction are more than enough punishment for the crime." I took a deep breath after I finished and stared at Jiraiya-sensei's shoulder.

Silence.

I could hear the shallow breathing of my classmates. I slowly positioned my butt to hit the chair as silently as possible being so that I have already said my piece. Ino and Naruto are the class clowns and when situations like this arise, they usually break the silence by uttering a joke or something relevant to the answeree's answer. But that's not the case now. They were assigned to other sections and I can safely say that I don't have any close friends in this class. Well, save for Sasuke. But I have started to ignore him since that day at the café. I just no longer have time to spend with some guy who whored himself out to a bitch.

Okay, now I'm sounding bitter.

"I beg to differ." A voice set out to irritate me for rest of my life interrupted. I still haven't sat down so I paused in the action of sitting down. My ass hovering in mid-air. I don't know what to do at this point. Should I address those who dare oppose my opinion or just sit back quietly down?

I was saved from wondering too hard when Jiraiya-sensei said, "You may take your seat, Sakura." Then he proceeded to ask, "Why do you think so, Karin?"

I didn't need to look at her to know what she's doing. How could I? I'm still sore from my defeat. After accepting the challenge head-on, I still lost. I still haven't picked up my dignity so I still wasn't ready to face her. She, however, always have that look of triumph once I catch a glimpse of her. It's like she's saying 'LOOK, SAKURA! I CAUGHT HIM! I CAUGHT HIM! HAH! WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING YOU NEVER HAD IN THE FIRST PLACE BE SNATCHED AWAY FROM YOU? HA-FREAKING-HA! IN YOUR FACE, BETCH!'

Ooooh, just die, Karin. Just die.

She has officially stood up. I rested my chin at the palm of myhand and rolled my eyes. Here we go again.

"I think Hester Prynne was—excuse my language—a skank." At this point, I could feel Karin's gaze burning at the back of my head since I was seated near the front of class. I have no idea why in the world she would specifically direct that at me when she was the one who was actually it.

"So, you don't think she was a victim at all?" Jiraiya-sensei tried to sway her of her opinion.

"Why should I? She brought it on herself." Karin replied like it was the most logical answer ever. "Any woman who can't stop her horny-ness and would try to seduce a man who was already spoken for by someone—in the minister's case, the house of God—must be punished by the authorities with whatever punishment they deem needed." Karin is not much different from the other high school female antagonists we encounter every day because she is actually diabolically smart and cunning. Which is why she is aiming for the position of President in the Student Council, even if she's currently the Student Council Secretary. But, sometimes, she could get extremely stupid. Like right now. Did she just manipulate the whole story so that it could relate to me? How does The Scarlet Letter even apply to me when I'm no whore like her?

I'm confused.

"Maybe you should embroider a red A on your wardrobe, abominable tramp." Karin spat.

At this, I turned at my seat to look at her just to make sure she really was antagonizing me. And when I met her eyes, I knew that she was trying to provoke me. I'm sorry I bit the bait but I, honestly, cannot just stand by and watch while I get insulted when I did absolutely nothing wrong! I freakin' backed away once I knew that Sasuke was dating Karin. I even freakin' friendzoned myself, you ungrateful bitch.

"Excuse me?" I stood up at this point. All feelings of shame from being defeated before were completely wiped off. I can't argue with her if I'm sitting down, can I? I mean, it'd just give her the chance to look down at me which is not what we want. "How in the world did I become Hester when the only one who couldn't wait to get their horny little claws and try to seduce Sasuke was you, you abominable twat!"

Also at this point, I knew I've said enough when my classmates and Karin herself gasped at my retort. I purposefully avoided eye contact at the said guy and trained my glare at Karin a little more before I broke it off and sat down. I could hear again the snickers and whispers surrounding me. I could also tell that Jiraiya-sensei was trying to suppress laughter even if I didn't look at him due to the fact that the air in his lungs traveled much faster to his throat but was blocked by his pursed mouth. I could also hear that familiar chuckle—the one that deeply rumbles through his chest. I'm glad to know that two important people find this little spat amusing. I could also hear Karin sitting down with an audible thud.

Even if it served as an amusement for the class, Jiraiya-sensei was forced to give me detention since Karin told him that I used obscene language during class and that it was against school rules. As I obtained the detention slip from Jiraiya-sensei after class ended, he told me that "I'm on your side, kiddo," with a smile which was enough to get the blues out of me.

Seriously, was 'twat' that bad of a word?

**oOo**

"Why are you in detention anyway, Sasuke?" I ask from another bathroom stall.

We were told to clean up the comfort rooms at the north. We already finished the first four and this was our last comfort room to clean. Of course, if it weren't for that little tiff with Karin earlier I would've been already hot on Deidara's tail. But spending time in the ladies' room, sitting on a toilet seat and scrubbing slash erasing the vandalism on the stall walls with Sasuke could be fun too. I mean, when do opportunities of being alone with Sasuke for an actual valid reason come along?

"Got caught punching Naruto." He mutters from the stall beside me.

I would never really consider Sasuke as a violent person. He only punches Naruto playfully when they banter about something ridiculous. That probably sounded all gay but it's the truth. There must be a really good reason why he did that though.

"What did you punch him for?" I pause from scrubbing, thinking of something they could actually quarrel over. "I bet it's a really good reason like when Naruto said that ramen was the best of all time and you mutter something about how you disagreed. Right?"

"No reason actually."

That wasn't exactly the answer I was prepared for. "What do you mean 'no reason'? You just felt like punching him?" I stop scrubbing at the moment to hear his reply.

"Hn."

I could tell he wasn't lying either because his heart rate is pretty normal. I think I'll take back my comment about Sasuke not being a violent person. Who knows how much he's changed from overseas? He could've joined the fight club in France for all I know! Or worse, he might've become a delinquent! …you know, a funny image of Sasuke as a typical Japanese delinquent popped into my mind. Complete with the highlighted hair, ear piercings, and rugged uniform. That would be funny but in a sexy kind of way.

ARGH! Stop it with these thoughts, Sakura!

Besides, wouldn't they all be really refined and, like, really aristocratic in France? At least that's what the impression of living there gives me. Knowing the Uchiha family, they surely wouldn't settle for the best. Hey, speaking of that, why did they move to France anyway?

"My father was to be relocated there." He answers with an amused tone in his voice.

"Uh, was I thinking out loud?" I didn't wait for an answer before I ask him another question. "Was that all I said?"

"Aa."

Does this guy have a personal vocabulary of monosyllabic sounds? I glare at the partition of the stall to my right knowing that if I actually had the superpower of having laser eyes, I'd burn him. I still hear his regular scrubbing of the bathroom stalls partition. However, his heartbeat—

"Do you know how to speak French then, Sasuke?" I ask a rather common question. Of course, he would know how to speak the native tongue of a country he has lived in for the past two years. But nevertheless, I wait for his answer.

"Mm."

"Could you say something for me then?" I pause again from scrubbing, eagerly waiting for his reply. "Like something cool."

He pauses from scrubbing too. Then he sighed lightly. "_Tu demandes trop de question_."

Now, I may not know how to speak or understand French but, damn, when Sasuke says it, it sounds really sexy. And he may have insulted me in a foreign language for all I know. "What does that mean?"

"'You ask too many questions.'" He answers nonchalantly.

"Well, pardon me for being ignorant and curious." I huff indignantly. I returned to my scrubbing duties much more vigorously. "All I know about France is their bagels and the Eiffel Tower." _And the country of love._

"_Je devrais peut-être vous en apprendre plus sur la France._"

Look, I know the French language is really nasal but, ugh, when Sasuke speaks that language it just becomes really beautiful and flowery and stuff. And he speaks it really fast and smooth though. If it weren't for his looks, you'd totally he was a French native. It's like all traces of his Japanese accent disappeared and it was replaced by this foreign _vous_ and _je_s.

"Now, you're just making fun of me!" As I say that, I wipe off the last 'I heart you, Sasuke-kun!' lettering at the partition. These girls sure are practically bored when they're in the wash closet taking a dump. Wait, does that mean they think of Sasuke when they shit? Ewwwww. I walk out of the stall the same time as Sasuke does. "What does that even mean?"

"Nothing."

"So, you're saying you just made up a string of incoherent pretty sounding French words and they meant nothing?" I ask sardonically and prop gloved fist at my hip. And pointed the spray bottle filled with water and soap at him mockingly.

He raises a brow at the nozzle of my pink spray bottle and looked at me challengingly. "Aa." Before I could say anything else remotely close to 'Challenge Accepted,' he decides to drop the subject and ask me, "We should return this to the janitor's closet." He raises his gloved hands that clutched a wet rag and a spray bottle.

I drop my threatening hand and mutely agreed with him.

It's already half past five and there are fewer kids hanging around the north wing of the academy. They're either at the library, rec area, the dorms, or they're attending to their after-school club activities. If I wasn't in detention, I would either be in the dorms or rec area. I don't have any club activities lined up after school because I have such high-end talents that I am not willing to share or show-off. Anyway, dinner time is still an hour away.

"Have you joined any after-school club, Sasuke?" I ask the guy walking beside me.

"Soccer."

"Oh, that's good. Naruto's in it too."

"The dobe forced me into it."

"That makes sense."

Small talk with Sasuke doesn't feel like small talk at all. It feels like an actual conversation even if it is kind of one-sided and that he only contributes every once in a while. But, hey, beggars can't be choosers. But it can't go on that well for long. Hello, we're talking about Sakura Haruno here. I'm a girl and, right now, my innermost thoughts are knocking at the back of my mouth like word vomit.

"How are you and Karin?" I slip casually. And there it goes. I just had to go and ruin the atmosphere. Luckily, we were already at the janitor's closet. I hand Sasuke my cleaning gloves, spray bottle and rag silently. He still hasn't answered my question though. I wait outside, trying to think about some kind of back-up plan. "You know, Sasuke, you don't have to answe—" I say once Sasuke emerges from the closet.

"There's nothing going on between us." He replies quietly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks and walking to the direction of the dorms.

"Wh—what?" I stutter. "Aren't you guys like a thing or something?" I say far too enthusiastically. I hope he didn't notice that. I would look like a total idiot for thinking that I had hope for the guy I truly like. Oh hell, I mean, who wouldn't do the same thing?

"She's the one who started the rumor and all." He sighs heavily. "I just went along with it, it's not like it's a big deal. It would keep the fangirls away, right?"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, SASUKE? DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO BE AROUND YOU ALL THE FUCKING TIME WITH ALL THESE FUCKING FEELINGS YOU'RE GIVING ME? DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO _IGNORE YOU_ ALL THE FUCKING TIME WITH ALL THESE FUCKING FEELINGS YOU'RE GIVING ME? YOU CAN'T JUST GO ALONG A FUCKING RUMOR BECAUSE "it would keep the fangirls away." OH FUCKING HELL. YOU ARE FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE. AND YOU CHOSE THAT FUCKING KARIN TO BECOME YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE SHE STARTED A FUCKING RUMOR THAT YOU ARE BOTH FUCKING TOGETHER? ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME? I SHOULD'VE STARTED TO CREATE FUCKING SCANDAL SO YOU AND I COULD'VE FUCKING BEEN TOGETHER, YOU FUCKING CUNT!" is what I should've said. Instead, "Right." I reply shakily with a trembling smile.

We've already reached the dormitories. Our walk their was silently awkward after our conversation about Karin since I kept big mouth shut just in case I let slip about what I'm actually thinking. We stopped at middle of the dorms where we would split to go to our respective gender-ruled dorms. I look at him with a tentative smile and there it was another skipped beat of the heart. Oh, Sasuke, you really have to get that irregular heartbeat checked up. He looks at me with a silent gaze of his own.

"I—I guess I'll see you at dinner?" I ask.

"Hn."

I give him one final nod and I turn around to head to the girls' dorms to the right.

"Sakura," he calls out.

I stop midway from walking and I turn around once again to look at him questioningly. He looks really handsome standing there with his hands in his pockets, his tie artfully crooked, and the last lights of sunset spilling over him from the double doors at his left. Kind of like something you would see in a gallery in France. It kind of sets a romantic feel to it. It makes you wanna run to him and kiss him to death or something. Or maybe that's just me. Meh. "Yeah?"

"I'm glad you think that I'd look 'sexy' as a delinquent." Then he turns around and walks back to the boys' dorm.

I stood there for a while frozen in place, looking at his retreating back, and a blush creeping on my cheeks. I regained my composure, uttered a groan of despair and stamped my way back to my dorm room. Sasuke had the balls to look really serious when he told me that even if he did try to conceal the amused lines tugging at his eyes. And again, I hear that deep rumble he considers as a laugh or chuckle or whatever even if he was thirty feet away from me.

You know, it's only him that could send me through spasm of emotions over a short period of time.

And I mean that in the most innocent way possible.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Look at that! An update! Longer than the first chap, shorter than the second. Hehe.

This chapter is kind of a filler chap before it continues to the Emblem Order arc, okay? I just wanted to show Sakura in her normal school setting. Anyway, if anyone could guess from what movie "that scene" was, I shall give the first one to guess it correctly a prize for the upcoming chapter! Yes, it's sort of my apology gift or whatever. Also, I hope I didn't make Sasuke too OOC here. I mean, he wasn't too OOC here, right? :s

Side note, guys. I haven't been to France nor do I speak French fluently. But I'd love to go there someday. Anyway, here's the translation to what Sasuke said the second time: _Je devrais peut-être vous en apprendre plus sur la France _means "Maybe I should teach you more about France." I asked Y!Answers for that, didn't Google Translate them so, yeah.

Oh, and let this fic reach 20 reviews so I'll get my writing muse back! Be a dear, it won't take much of your time, you know. Write constructive criticisms, what you would like to happen next, what you think will happen next, and things alike.

Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA, hgj, man-chan, golden-doe, L Bell Sha, william and jack and jake. You guys are adorbs.


End file.
